Gang-saw mill.



J. L. GRAHAM. GANG SAW MILL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. 1908.

1,002,675, Patented Sept. 5,1911.

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J. L. GRAHAM.'

GANG SAW MILL. APPLICATIONIILED MAR. 26. 1908.

1,002,675, Phtented Sept. 5,1911.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR W? 1 y @fi.

J. L. GRAHAM. GANG SAW MILL.

' APPLIGATIO'N FILED MAR. 26, 1908.

' Patented Sept. 5, 1911'.

3 $HEETS-BHEET 3.

ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPIIYCO..WASIHNGTON. n

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. GRAHAM, OF REYNOLDSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WICKESBROTHERS, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

GANG-SAW MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 423,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reynoldsville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGang-Saw Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to oscillations for gang saws.

One object of my invention is to provide means for varying the positionof the arc of oscillation of the slides in which the saw sashreciprocates, thereby changing the amount of incline of the slides.

Another object is the provision of means for varying the incline of theslides simultaneously with variations in the rate of feed of the timberto the saws.

To these ends, my invention consists in certain novel features andcombinations such as will be more fully described hereinafter andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough a gang saw, showing the pivotally-supported slides and connectedparts; Fig. 2 is a side View of a gang saw equipped with my invention;Fig. 8 is a rear view of the gang saw; Fig. 4 is a detail View partly insection, showing one means for connecting the shaft members; and Figs. 5and 6 are detail views showing the right and left threaded connectionbetween the sections of the rock shaft.

(A) indicates the fraine of the gang saw, to the inner faces of whichare secured slides (1) and These slides are arranged in pairs one abovethe other and are pivotally secured to the frame. I prefer to locate thepivotal points (3) of the slides on a plane substantially horizontalwith the horn pins (4) carried by the saw sash (5), when such pins areat the upper limit of their movement.

The slides may be oscillated in any con venient manner, but as one meansfor effecting such movement, I provide the separate rock-shafts (6) and(7) journaled on the rear face of the frame. These shafts are eachprovided with arms (8) (8) connected by means of the rods (9) (9) to thefree ends of at least one of each pair of slides respectively. Therock-shafts (6) and (7) are connected by means of cranks (10) (10) and alink (11), whereby movement of one rock shaft is transmitted to theother and the pairs of slides are oscillated simultaneously and in fixedrelation to each other. The rock shaft (7 may be oscillated by means ofa crank arm (12) secured to a rod (13) eccentrically connected to themain drive shaft (14).

(15) (15) indicate feed rolls journaled inthe frame. The shafts (16) ofthe feed rolls are equipped with gears (17) (17) driven from a bevelgear (18) actuated by a pinion (19) keyed on a shaft (20). Africtionwheel (21) slidingly mounted on the shaft engages afriction-disk (22). In order to vary the rate of feed, thefriction-wheel is movable relative to the friction-disk (22), suchmovement being attained through a slidable rod (23) carrying an arm (24)engaging and supporting the hub of the friction-wheel (21). The rod isprovided with a rack (25) in mesh with a gear (not shown) controlled bya hand-wheel (27).

It is advisable in attaining the best results, to change the positionsof the arcs of movement of the slides (1) and (2) and consequently theincline of the slides when the rate of feed of timber to the saw isadjusted. The reasons for such change are fully set forth in myco-pending application for gang saws filed co-incident with the presentapplication. Thus if the rate of feed is slowed down, it is desirable toso adjust the position of the arc of movement of the slides that they donot swing so far'forwardly of a vertical line drawn through the pivotpoints (3) (3), say, and the slides therefore have less incline. On theother hand, if the rate of feed is increased, it is desirable that theslides and consequently the saws swing farther forward from a verticalline, to give the slides a greater incline. The length of the arc ofmovement of the slides is not altered when the inclination is changed.In other words, the speed of advance of the saws toward the timbershould at all times be proportioned to the rate of feed of the timber.Such adjustment of the position of the arcs of oscillation of the slidesmay be effected in various ways, either by hand or automatically. As onemeans for effecting such change, however, I have shown the folwhile themachine is at work and lowing mechanism. The main rock shaft (7) is madeof two sections preferably journaled in alinement with each other, onesection carrying the arm (8) and crank (10) and the other sect-ion (7)having the crank arm (12) secured thereto. The section (7) thus has afixed oscillatory movement owing to its connection with the drive shaft(14). The two sections are adjustably connected as follows: Arms'(26)and (28) project from the respective sections, and trunnion nuts (29)(29) are pivotally mounted in the adjacent faces of the arms and inhorizontal alinement with each other. The alined heads of the nuts areapertured to receive one end of a right-and-left threaded screw shaft(30), theopposite end of which screw shaft is connected in any suitablemanner to a longitudinally-slidable and rotatable shaft (31) slidablysupported in bearings (32). A gear (33) is feathered on the shaft (31),such gear meshing with a rack actuated in any suitable manner. In thisWay, the two sections of the rock shaft are adjustably connected. Rotarymotion imparted to the shaft (31) will rotate the right-and-leftthreaded screw to move the arms (26) and (28) farther apart or nearertogether, whereby to change the position of the arcs of movement of theslides. As one means for automatically effecting such changesimultaneously with any adjustment of the rate of feed of the timber, Iprovide the sliding rod (23) with an arm (35) connected to the rack(34). Thus when the handwheel (27) is operated to raise or lower the rod(23) moving the friction-wheel (21) relative to the disk (22), the rack(34) is simultaneously moved to rotate the screw shaft (30) in onedirection or the other to rotate shaft section (7 relative to shaftsection (7 thereby varying the positions of the arm (8) and crank (10)and hence shifting the positions of the arc of movement of both pairsof'slides (l) and (2) simultaneously with any change in the rate of feedof the timber. Thelength of the are traversed by the slides is constant,but the above-described adjustment suitably shifts the location of thearcs of movement of the slides relative to a vertical line, andconsequently increases or decreases the incline of the slides so thatthe saws are caused to cut chips of uniform length throughout their fullstroke and the proper relation is maintained between the forward advanceof the saws and the rate of feed of the timber. The mechanism forincreasing or decreasing the incline of the slides can be operatedduring the oscillation of the slides.

The foregoing illustrates a modified form ofthe mechanism disclosed inmy co-pending basic application, Srial No. 423,486, filedM'arch 26,1908, in which the invention rigidly connecting the rock shafts, anauxiliary shaft having a fixed arc of movement, the shaft arranged inalinement with and adjacent one end of one of the rock shafts, meansadjustably connecting the rock and auxiliary shafts, and means forpartially rotating the rock shaft relative to the auxil iary shaft.

2. In a gang saw mill, the combination with a plurality of pairs ofslides, of a rock shaft for each pair of slides, one of said rock shaftscomposed of a plurality of alined sections, means connecting one of saidsections with the remaining rock shaft, means for imparting a fixedoscillation to the remaining section of the rock shaft, and adjustableconnecting means between the sections for partially rotating one sectionrelative to the other to change the position of the swing of the slideswithout affecting the length of the arc of movement or imparting rake tothe saw.

3. In a gang saw, a pair of pivotally-supported slides, a saw sashreceived and traveling in said slides, a rock shaft composed of aplurality'of sections, one section of the rock shaft having a fixed arcof movement, at least one of the slides connected to the remainingsection of the shaft, a right-andleft threaded screw, means for rotatingthe screw in opposite directions, and means carried by the respectivesections of the rock shaft and engaged by the right-and-left threadedscrew to permit an adjustment of one rock shaft section relative to theother.

4. A gang saw mill comprising a pair of pivotally-supported slides, anadjustable oscillatory shaft to which one of the slides at least isconnected, a second oscillatory shaft having a fixed travel, anadjustable connection between the oscillatory shafts, a rotary shaft foractuating the connection between the oscillatory shafts, the rotaryshaft having a reciprocating movement, a gear on the rotary shaft, andmeans for rotating the gear to efieet an adjustment of one oscillatoryshaft rotatively relative to" tory movement, to one section, at leastone i of the slides being connected to the remaining section of the rockshaft, arms fast on the respective sections and means adjustablyconnecting the arms for changing the posi tion rotatively of theremaining section relative to the section having a fixed oscillation toshift the position of the arc of movement of the slides and maintain thelength of movement constant irrespective of the adjustment.

6. A gang saw mill comprising a frame, a pair of pivotally-supportedslides, a rock shaft composed of a plurality of sections, one at leastof the slides connected to one section of the rock shaft, means forimparting a fixed oscillatory movement to the remaining section of therock shaft, a feed roll, means for rotating the roll, means foradjusting the speed of rotation of the roll, a rack controlled by saidlast-named means, a gear meshing with the rack, a shaft carrying thegear, a right-and-left threaded screw controlled by the shaft, armscarried by the respective sections of the rock shaft, and trunnion nutscarried by the respective arms, the heads of the trunnion nuts beingcorrespondingly threaded to receive the right-and-left threaded screw.

7. A gang saw mill comprising a frame, a

pair of pivotally-supported slides, a rock' shaft composed of aplurality of sections, one of the slides at least being connected to onesection of the rock shaft, an arm carried by such section, means forimparting a fixed oscillation to the remaining section of the rockshaft, an arm carried by such remaining section, trunnion nuts carriedby the respective arms, the heads of the respective nuts beingoppositely threaded and a rightand-left threaded screw received in andconnecting the trunnion nuts.

8. The combination in a gang saw mill, of a saw sash arranged to travelplumb at all times, a pair of movable slides in which the sash isslidingly received, a sectional rock shaft, one of the sections adaptedto actuate the slides and being adjustable relative to the remainingsection, means for imparting a fixed oscillation to said remainingsection, arms secured to the respective sections, adjustable meansconnecting the arms to vary the position of one relative to the other,and means for mechanically operating such adjustable means at any time.

9. A gang saw mill comprising a sash, a plurality of pairs of slides,rock shafts, one of the rock shafts composed of a plurality of alinedsections, the respective pairs of slides connected to the remaining rockshaft and to one section of the sectional rock shaft, means adjustablyconnecting the sections, a feed mechanism, and means cont-rolling thefeed mechanism and the adjustable means for changing the feed andvarying the adjustment simultaneously during the operation of themachine.

10. A gang saw comprising a plurality of pairs of pivotally supportedslides, a rock shaft and a sectional oscillatory shaft, the pairs ofslides connected to the rock shaft and to one section of the oscillatoryshaft respectively, the remaining section having a fixed arc of travel,means adjust ably connecting the sections, a feed mechanism, and meansfor controlling the rate of feed, a rack actuated simultaneously withthe feed controlling means, a gear meshing with the rack and adapted tooperate the adjustable connecting means for varying the position of thearc of movement of the slides without affecting the length of such areor imparting rake to the sash.

11. As a means for adjusting the amount of advance of a gang sawrelative to a cant, the combination with a sliding saw carrying sash,horn pins carried by the sash and pairs of slides in which the horn pinsare received, of means for pivotally supporting the slides on a planeapproximately horizontally in line with the horn pins when the latterare at their upper limits of movement, a rock shaft, a sectionaloscillatory shaft, means connecting the rock shaft with one section ofthe oscillatory shaft, a link age connecting the slides to the rockshaft and to one section of the oscillatory shaft, the remaining sectionof the oscillatory shaft being independent of the linkage and lyingsubstantially in alinement with the first named section, means forimparting a fixed oscillation to the said remaining section, andadjustable mechanically actuated means connecting the two sections ofthe oscillatory shaft for varying the position of the arc of movement ofthe respective slides without altering the length of such arc.

12. As a means for adjusting the amount of advance of a gang sawrelative to a cant, the combination with a sliding saw carrying a sash,horn pins carried by the sash and pairs of slides in which the horn pinsare received, of means for pivotally supporting the slides on a planeapproximately horizontally in line with the horn pins when the latterare at their upper limits of movement,a rock shaft, a sectionaloscillatory shaft, means connecting the rock shaft with one section ofthe oscillatory shaft, a linkage connecting the slides to the rock shaftand to one section of the oscillatory shaft, the remaining section ofthe oscillatory shaft being independent of the linkage and lyingsubstantially in alinement with the first named section, means forimparting a fixed oscillation to the said remaining section, anadjustable connection between the sections of the oscillatory shaft forvarying the positions only of the arcs of movement a plurality of pairsof slides, of a rock shaft and a sectional oscillatory shaft, onesection of which is connected to the rock shaft,

a linkage connecting the slides with the rock shaft and the first namedsection of the oscillatory shaft, a power shaft connected with theremaining section of the oscillatory shaft to impart a fixed rotationthereto, and an adjustable connection be tween the sections of theoscillatory shaft to shift the position of the arc of movement of theslides, the length of such are remaining constant.

14:. In a gang saw, the combination with a plurality of slides, of asectional oscillatory shaft, a linkage connecting the slides with onesection of the oscillatory shaft, a power shaft connected with theremaining section of the oscillatory shaft to impart a fixed oscillationthereto, and an adjustable connection between the sect-ions of theoscillatory shaft to shift the position of the arc of movement of theslides, the length of such arc remaining constant.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN L. GRAHAM. Witnesses RALPH S. VVARFIELD, NELLIE M. ANcUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

